Amazingly, there are still hotel managers not taking online reviews and social media seriously when it comes to promoting their property as well as protecting their online reputation. Traditionalists insist the best way to promote and advertise a property is with expensive print advertising. Doing so is a MAJOR mistake for today’s guests.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Trip Advisor recently published some numbers that should be concerning for marketing managers ignoring the impact of reviews:
- More than 90 percent of guests use online reviews to decide which property they will book
- Over 50 percent of the survey takers said they would flat out NOT book at a property that did not have online reviews
A segment of the market we have been stressing managers pursue is the millennial market. Creating loyalty now will ensure the success of the property for many years to come, as this is the next generation of power travelers and business people.
A Crowdtap and Ipsos survey offered this insight to millennials:
- 53 percent of millennials trust user-generated content
Something that should be rather alarming for hotel marketing managers is that paid advertising is some of the least trusted when it comes to millennials. These are the traditional and online advertising trust numbers for the millennial segment of the market:
- 37 percent trust radio ads
- 34 percent trust TV spots
- 19 percent trust banner ads
The bottom line here is the most trustworthy of all advertising is reviews left by actual guests. The benefit to the marketing team is this also happens to be the least costly way to promote the hotel. It is just a matter of encouraging guests to leave reviews, something we have covered multiple times here on our blog.
Protecting Your Hotel’s Online Reputation
To take advantage of online reviews, the hotel obviously needs to claim and create online profiles. On some sites, such as Google, Trip Advisor, and Yelp, there may already be a business page in existence that has to be claimed. For others, such as Instagram, a profile will have to be created.
Once the profiles are created and/or claimed, make sure they are filled out properly, including accurate pictures of the property. All of the current information should be added to the page to make sure visitors are getting as complete a picture as possible when they visit these sites.
As mentioned above, one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is going to be guest reviews left online. Some guests may need a little nudge, so you will have to encourage them to leave reviews for the site. One idea we have suggested here is to create a QR code and have it out at the front desk. When guests are checking out, have the front desk agent verify they were satisfied, then point them to the QR code and ask them for a review.
It is also important to monitor the reviews and respond to them accordingly. This is something that must be done every day so potential guests can see the property is actively monitoring what its guests are saying about the property. When negative reviews are left, it is important to respond to them properly. We previously published a guide which you can refer to when you do receive a negative review:
Online reviews have more or less replaced word-of-mouth in our new social media-oriented world. Today’s travelers spend most of their time looking down at their phones, and you need to make sure when your property is on that screen, they get the best possible feedback that will encourage them clicking the “Book Now” button.
Is your marketing team simply not understanding the importance of social media and online reviews for your hotel property? If you are seeking a Director of Marketing or any executive-level hotel manager, consider using Joseph David International. JDI has been successfully placing managers in the hospitality industry for more than a decade because we find the ideal candidate for your specific needs. For more information about our hotel recruiting services, click here.
Photo By bialasiewicz